Representations to Wakefield Local Development Framework Site Proposals DPD Preferred Options Report Prepared for Harworth Estates (the property division of UK Coal Mining Plc) By: Atisreal Limited, Belgrave House, Bank Street, Sheffield, S1 2DR Tel: +44 (0) 870 700 2233 DD: +44 (0) 114 241 2207 August 2008 Contents 1 Introduction 3 2 Areas to be Excluded from the Green Belt 4 3 Housing Sites 5 4 Employment Sites 9 5 Special Policy Areas 12 6 Tourism and Leisure Sites 14 7 Conclusion 17 Appendices Appendix A – Harworth Estates’ Land Holdings in the Wakefield District Appendix B – Normanton Bypass (Potential Development Area) Appendix C – Former Sharlson Colliery (Area with Planning Permission and Potential Development Area) Appendix D – Anglers East (Potential Development Area) Appendix E – Anglers South (Potential Development Area) Atisreal UK a BNP Paribas Company 2 1 Introduction Harworth Estates, the property division of UK COAL Plc, are a significant land owner across the United Kingdom, the Yorkshire and Humber Region and the Wakefield district (see Appendix A), and are committed to investing in their land holdings to bring them forward for beneficial regeneration scheme including employment, residential, open space and leisure/tourism. Within the Wakefield district, Harworth Estates’ development sites include: ■ The Former Sharlston Colliery; ■ Land to the North of the Normanton Bypass, and South of Queen Elizabeth Drive, Normanton (“Normanton By-pass”); ■ Anglers South; ■ The Former Moorhouse Coal and Fire Clay Site (“Anglers East”); ■ The Former Prince of Wales Colliery; and ■ Land at Flass Lane, Castleford (“Prince of Wales 2”). Harworth Estates’ land holdings in Wakefield thus offer a major opportunity for the company to work with Wakefield Council and other key stakeholders, to assist in meeting the significant levels of growth proposed in the district by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Spatial Strategy, and the recent Leeds City Region Growth Point Status. In light of the above, Harworth Estates’ representations to the Wakefield Local Development Framework (LDF) Site Specific Proposals Development Plan Document Preferred Options Report are set out in this document, with respect to the following sites: ■ Normanton Bypass; ■ The Former Sharlston Colliery; ■ Angers East; and ■ Anglers South. Separate additional Site Specific Representations have been made to the Council in respect of Prince of Wales and land at Flass Lane. Atisreal UK a BNP Paribas Company 3 2 Areas to be Excluded from the Green Belt Harworth Estates object to the Wakefield LDF Site Specific Proposals Preferred Options Report on the grounds that it does not exclude its Anglers East, Anglers South, Normanton Bypass and former Sharlston Colliery sites from the Green Belt. A more detailed response on this and to the question set out at paragraph 9.17 of the Site Specific Proposals Preferred Options Report is set out below. Do you have any alternative proposals? Planning Policy Guidance Note 2: Green Belts (PPG2) states that there 5 purposes for including land in the Green Belt; these included: ■ To check the unrestricted sprawl of large built up areas; ■ To prevent neighbouring towns from merging; ■ To safeguard the countryside from encroachment; ■ To preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and ■ To assist in urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land. PPG2 also states that the Green Belt should not contain land that is unnecessary to keep open. Recognisable features in the landscape, such as roads or watercourses, should form the boundaries of the Green Belt, and these boundaries should only be changed in exceptional circumstances. Wakefield LDF Core Strategy Submission Draft Policy CS12 reiterates the guidance in PPG2, and states that only in exceptional circumstances, where there is an over-riding need, and where development cannot be located elsewhere, land will be removed from the Green Belt. Harworth Estates considers that exceptional circumstances exist that warrant the removal of its Anglers East, Anglers South, Normanton Bypass and former Sharlston Colliery sites from the Green Belt. The justifications for this are detailed in the following sections of the report. Atisreal UK a BNP Paribas Company 4 3 Housing Sites Harworth Estates object to the Wakefield LDF Site Specific Proposals Preferred Options Report on the grounds that it does not allocate the Normanton Bypass and Sharlston sites for residential development. A more detailed response on this and to the question set out at paragraph 5.4 of the Site Specific Proposals Preferred Options Report is set out below. Do you have any alternative proposals? Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS3) states that Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) should plan for housing for a period of 15 years, and should demonstrate a 5 year supply of deliverable sites, excluding an allowance for windfalls in the first 10 years supply. The Yorkshire and the Humber Plan (May 2008) (RSS) sets a housing requirement for 1,600 houses per annum for the Wakefield District over the LDF plan period. Annual Average Net Additions to the Dwelling Stock 2004-2026 LOCAL AUTHORITY 2004-08 2008-2026 Wakefield 1,170 1,600 Table 1: RSS Annual Housing Target The Wakefield LDF plan period runs until 2021. The total housing development capacity of the sites allocated as Housing Allocations and Special Policy Areas in the Wakefield Site Specific Proposals Preferred Options Report falls short of the RSS requirement by approximately 1,400 dwellings. In addition, the LDF does not cover the required period up to 2026 as set out in the RSS and PPS3. The target also includes for windfall sites (a total of 3,600 dwellings) which should only be considered in years 11 to 15 and only in exceptional circumstances. In addition, in July 2008 the Government announced a further 20 locations across England that have achieved Growth Point status, including the Leeds City Region, which incorporates the Wakefield district. Growth Point status for the Leeds City Region will result in a further 6,030 homes being developed across the City Region by 2016. For the Wakefield District this will represent a 20% increase in the housing requirements set by the RSS, and the following objective: “early delivery of infrastructure improvements that will enable over 6,000 homes to contribute to the regeneration of the Five Towns, Wakefield….” As such, the short fall of housing land allocated in the Preferred Options Report will increase further, and additional land for housing will need to be found in order to meet the housing requirements set out in the RSS and the Growth Point initiative. Additional land for residential development thus needs to be allocated in the Site Specific Proposals DPD. In light of the above, Harworth Estates consider that its Normanton By-Pass and the former Sharlston Colliery sites offer the potential for sustainable residential developments that will assist in meeting Wakefield’s housing requirements. Site specific justification for this is set out in more detail below. Atisreal UK a BNP Paribas Company 5 Normanton By-Pass The Normanton Bypass site is located in the east of the Wakefield district, on the southern edge of the settlement of Normanton, with a Potential Development Area identified at approximately 4.21 hectares (10.4 acres) (see Appendix B). It is bordered by residential development to the north and west, with direct access from the residential estate to the north, and the Normanton Bypass to the south. The Normanton Bypass site is generally flat, rising slightly to the east. It currently has an electricity pylon running across it. However, Harworth Estates have an agreement in place by which the pylons can be diverted to allow for its future development. The Normanton Bypass site is located in a sustainable location, on the edge of an existing built up area, with access to a range of services and facilities including the following: ■ Primary schools, including Newlands Primary School (approximately 0.8 miles away), Normanton Junior School (approximately 0.9 miles away), Normanton All Saints Church of England Infant School (approximately 1.3 miles away), and St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School (approximately 1.5 miles away); ■ Secondary Schools, and Further Education Institutions, such as Normanton Freeston Voluntary Controlled High School and The Freeston Business and Enterprise College, both located approximately 1 mile away; ■ Health Care such as Newlands Doctor’s Surgery (approximately 1.1 miles away) and Princess St Doctor’s Surgery (approximately 1.2 miles away); ■ Public transport, including Normanton Railway station (approximately 1.4 miles away), which offers services to Wakefield and Castleford, and bus stops directly to the north on Queen Elizabeth Drive, offering approximately 7 services per hour to Wakefield Centre; and ■ Access to the wider region via the M62 and the Normanton By-Pass. ■ Local shops – additional amenities. Harworth Estates therefore consider the Normanton Bypass site to represent an excellent opportunity for residential development as a sustainable urban extension, in a location that offers easy access to a number of essential services and facilities, as well as public transport links to the wider area. This would be in accordance with PPS3 which states: “In support of its objective of creating mixed and sustainable communities, the Government’s policy is to ensure that housing is developed in suitable locations which